Strictly speaking, the Academy Awards do not fit into the categories I set out to explore in my Countdown to 40 blog, not in the traditional sense anyway. About movies but not a movie, on television but not a series, they celebrate the year’s best movies in an annual ceremony telecast live, with celebrities and other members of the film industry parading their fashion hits and misses on the red carpet as they prepare to honor their peers’ work. Yes, the Academy Awards sometimes seem to exist for the sole purpose of stroking the egos of the rich and famous. Yes, they are self-indulgent and superfluous, often focusing on pageantry rather than substance. Yes, they often overlook many of the year’s most artful and boundary-pushing films and performances in favor of more mainstream, self-congratulatory pats on the back. But then they also get things right once in a while and open my eyes to many wonderful films I may not have encountered otherwise. On top of that, they serve as a yearly reason to gather family and friends together to bask in the glow of Hollywood’s stars. (Or is that the glow of the TV?) And I love every minute of it.
The first Oscars broadcast I recall experiencing aired in the spring of 1989 and honored films released in 1988. I sat on the sofa that evening, taking in all of the glitz, glamour, and glory. I watched the numerous clips of movies and performances in awe, many of which I was previously unfamiliar with. One in particular, Gorillas in the Mist, always comes to mind when thinking back on my inaugural Academy Awards telecast. The film earned five nominations, including one for Sigourney Weaver’s portrayal of naturalist Dian Fossey. The repeated mention of the movie compelled me to rent the video and more than likely shaped my preconceptions of what an award-caliber performance should look like. That the film and Weaver’s performance did not disappoint only solidified the Oscars as my most-trusted source of cinematic suggestions prior to Entertainment Weekly. Amid the pomp and circumstance of the show itself and the expansion of my film awareness, my preteen penchant for ranking a few of my favorite things went into overdrive. I mean, what are the Academy Awards if not an ultra-glamorous best-of list, where the nominees represent the runners-up to the recipients crowned the year’s greatest? To put it mildly, the Oscars cast a spell on me that spring, nurturing my love of movies and establishing the tradition of tuning into the ceremony every year thereafter. After that fateful spring night, my fondness for the Academy Awards only grew stronger. In the early 1990s, I created my own awards for movies modeled on the Oscars called the Golden Film Awards. Initially, I selected all of the nominees and winners myself, but over time I invited my friends and family to participate by voting for their favorites among nominations still provided by me. Once in college, the Academy Awards telecast truly became an event—especially after The English Patient, one of my favorite films that did not quite make the Countdown to 40 list, took home the night’s big prize in 1997 (for 1996). Each subsequent year, I challenged myself to see all the films nominated for Best Picture prior to the broadcast (haven’t achieved that goal yet) and check out several of the more obscure titles introduced to me during the show. (Achievement unlocked!) Somewhere along the road I started hosting Oscar parties. After all, there’s nothing like the Academy Awards to bring movie-lovers together. Over time the parties became more elaborate, adding rounds of Oscar-related trivia to the Predict the Winners game, complete with movie-themed prizes for attendees who score highest in each game. This year, we even booked a venue for the event, where the signature cocktail will be the Bourbon Streep in honor of the one and only Meryl. It’s no wonder I look forward to Oscar Sunday every year and often refer to it as my second favorite holiday after Christmas.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AUTHOR
I am a self-proclaimed pop culture geek and list enthusiast who is celebrating the big four-zero by counting down the most important, influential, and favorite music, movies, television shows, books, and video games of my life so far. Categories
All
Archives |